An injury sustained by a worker on his way to a car park after a shift occurred in the course of his employment, because his employer induced or encouraged him to access the area, a tribunal has ruled.
Safe Work Australia members have agreed to start transitioning to a new chemical safety system within six months, while SWA has released a practical guide to managing ultraviolet radiation risks and a 60-page workers' comp report, and a WHS regulator has outlined safety duties relating to poor air quality.
A company and its director have been fined a total of $175,000 for dangerous goods offences uncovered by police investigating a burglary. Meanwhile, the ACTU has issued heat and smoke alerts and called for WHS laws that "deal with the reality of climate change".
A full Federal Court has quashed a company's $181,000 shared-liability award, averting a situation where employers that aren't liable for an injury under workers' comp laws could be stung with a hefty contribution bill.
The vast majority of workers with disabilities, health conditions or injuries are motivated to retain, secure or return to suitable employment, but necessary work accommodations are rare, and outcomes are stymied by stigma and discrimination, according to a major report on empowering workers.
Many employers continue to rely on administrative controls like training in lifting techniques and stretching to tackle work-related musculoskeletal disorder (WMSD) risks, despite strong evidence that these strategies don't work, according to a report prepared for Safe Work Australia.
A Commonwealth agency breached the WHS Act in over-relying on contracted helicopter pilots to assess the safety of landing sites in Antarctica, in the lead up to a pilot's death from hypothermia, a court has found. The helicopter company was found not guilty of breaching the Act.
Thousands of asbestos-containing materials are still in place in workplaces and homes and employers that disregard the deadly hazard are being targeted, according to warnings issued for national Asbestos Awareness Week this week. Meanwhile, the Asbestos Safety and Eradication Agency's functions are likely to be expanded under the recommendations of a statutory review tabled in Parliament today.
